Our interview with Jean Luc Belle IsleMobile game developer and novelist, creator of the games Organic Inc and narrative story The talkieavailable on Load game.
Geek countries: Can you tell us about your professional background and what inspired you to start The Talkie?
Jean Luc Belle Isle: For ten years I have been running a web design company that specializes in creating logos and animations. I was very attached to this area, which reminded me of the world of video games. After a year-long family trip, I opened an art gallery in Montreal, which I ran for two and a half years. We then worked with my brother to develop our first video game called Bio Inc, which was a huge success in the App Store. Unfortunately, our next project, Battlebro, did not have the same success and turned out to be a failure. The idea for “The Talkie” has been on my mind for over ten years. In the digital age, many people read novels on Amazon and their tablets. I therefore wondered whether it was possible to integrate sound elements into these readings, such as sound effects during tense moments or background music to enrich the experience, like the importance of music in films for intensifying emotions. I see this as a market to exploit. I’m currently working on finishing the written version of The Talkie, knowing that I’m just beginning to break into this market. Fans of interactive stories often turn to youth-oriented apps in the App Store, such as Chapters.
There is also the “Friendzoné” saga, which is very popular in the App Store.
In fact, the market is mainly dominated by works of an erotic-sentimental nature. However, there is a real demand for immersive experiences similar to what one might have while reading a Stephen King novel. These readers would probably not go to the App Store for this experience, but would rather go to Amazon, because they don’t know that the App Store has such offers, namely the opportunity to read a great novel with music. In your review in The Talkie you mentioned that all roads lead to Rome, which is completely true. However, I felt that those who don’t get to the desired conclusion may not fully understand the story. I designed The Talkie to be an emotionally uplifting experience, with the goal of everyone experiencing the story as if it were a captivating novel. Although many decisions can influence certain conversations, they do not change the course of the story itself.
Was there a particular moment when the story of “The Talkie” particularly stood out to you? How did you come up with the idea for the concept?
The idea for “The Talkie” came from a combination of different storylines that I had had in mind for some time. When I explored the first interactive stories that found success in the store, such as Friendzoned, I was intrigued by their conversation-based format. However, I wanted to break away from the cliché of telephone interaction and give it a more mysterious, even poetic dimension. The walkie-talkie, with its both mythical and poetic aspect, seemed to me to be the perfect vector for innovations that go beyond the traditional news format. This paved the way for the creation of several episodes in which talkies played a central role and provided the opportunity to develop sequels such as The Talkie 2 and beyond.
What particularly impressed me were the quotes, especially that from Maxime Chattam: “The time machine exists, it is magic, and the magic really lies in words.” How did you incorporate such quotes to enrich and illustrate your story?
I have a passion for elegant wording and inspirational quotes. To this end, I keep a notebook where I carefully record memorable thoughts, memorable quotes, and unique ways of describing an event. This collection of precious words serves as a source of inspiration for me to weave and embellish the story, giving them a special resonance within the story.
Jacob King: Is the choice of this name a deliberate nod to Stephen King or is it just a coincidence?
In fact, the character of Jacob King is inspired by Stephen King, an author I deeply admire. My inspiration is not limited to him; it also extends to the series “The Fourth Dimension,” of which I have seen all episodes multiple times. This series is my favorite series and has fueled my love of mysterious universes. I’m also a big fan of good twists and cliffhangers, although I don’t think Stephen King excels in those areas. On the other hand, I am an admirer of M. Night Shyamalan, especially when his work is well executed. For me, there is nothing better than a well-executed cliffhanger. I notice that some authors, like Stephen King, let their stories guide them, but that’s not the way I do things. With a book like The Talkie, you have to know from the start how it’s going to end, although this allows for greater narrative freedom. I like to think of my story like a score, and the music in The Talkie was carefully selected and listened to as I wrote it to perfectly capture the emotions, whatever they may be.
Does the main character’s head injury play a crucial role in the story?
The presence of this head injury adds an essential dimension of dramatic tension to the story. My intention was to create a situation that would cause discomfort to the reader, thereby highlighting the character’s pain and discomfort to encourage the audience’s empathy for him. While I want to avoid any spoilers, it is important to note that as the story progresses, I strive to heighten the discomfort the character is feeling, both emotionally and physically. The goal is to reach a point of extreme liberation in the final cliffhanger. This narrative strategy aims to immerse the reader in an experience of intense discomfort before offering a liberating resolution at the end.
Could you tell us about the audiovisual creation process of your project, the decisions you made and the people you worked with?
As for the audio part of my project, I recruited actors to record the dialogues. For the music, I worked with various artists to create specific arrangements and additionally used royalty-free tracks. This work of musical selection required attentive and close listening. My goal was to always find the most appropriate sound or music for each moment of the story. I put a lot of effort into this research.
As for the design, I took care of that aspect myself. I initially brought in an external professional to do the programming. I was then joined by my brother, who had also worked at Bio Inc, to refine the effect and enrich the user experience.
This creative process was particularly lengthy and complex, particularly due to the interactive nature of the work, which generated a significant number of possible scenarios. It proved beneficial to approach such a project with some initial naivety, as it could have been very challenging to be clear about the size of the task from the start. Although I initially underestimated the time it would take to complete this project, I am satisfied with the end result.
Who is your favorite character and which character did you have the most difficulty building?
The writing I enjoyed the most was Scott. The one I have the most trouble with… I can’t say… Probably Kevin, who I had a harder time finding the right tone for. But I was more amused by Scott. He’s a slightly grumpy Clint Eastwood. But I really like all the characters. It’s a strange experience to put yourself in the mind of another person and imagine how they would react to this or that situation.
When it comes to concluding your story, The Talkie does not offer alternative endings. Do you plan to introduce this into your future projects?
The Talkie 2 is planned to feature several different conclusions. One of the challenges with The Talkie 1 was its original design, which was more like a traditional novel than an interactive experience, resulting in a single ending that was consistent with the overall narrative. On the other hand, “The Talkie 2” is designed to take into account the insights from the first project and integrate more diverse narrative branches. I plan to include between two and four different endings depending on user feedback. The goal is to ensure that the experience remains rewarding for the player regardless of the conclusion. I want to avoid the “game over” feeling and instead create a satisfying conclusion for everyone. As a result, the suites offer an increased level of interactivity.
Do you have a tentative release date for The Talkie 2?
At this point, I have not set a release date for The Talkie 2. My intention is to avoid disappointment by not committing to a specific deadline. I prefer to give fans a surprise by announcing the launch when the project is practically complete. Although development is already well advanced, there is still a lot of work to be done, especially when it comes to integrating music and other final elements. The novel version of The Talkie 2 is almost 99.9% complete. This version will contain more dialogue and additional puzzle-solving elements not included in the game.
Are you thinking about other projects in the future?
I want to continue writing new stories, even if the form they will take is uncertain at the moment. If I see the traditional book market meeting expectations better, I might go in that direction, although I prefer interactive books. I like both formats without any real preference, so the decision will depend on reception and audience demand. I also have an idea in mind for a traditional novel that doesn’t lend itself to the interactive format, a Shyamalan-style work with an unexpected ending. Right now I’m focusing on The Talkie 2 and the novel version of The Talkie 1. We’ll see what comes next in due course!
A big thank you to Jean-Luc Belle-Isle for giving us his time, his work is still available on the Playstore!